Cyberbullying in Social Networking Sites and Blogs: Legal Issues for Young People and Schools

This article examines the social networking phenomenon that has been so readily embraced by school-age adolescents, in the context of its potential to contribute further to the mechanisms for and incidence of cyberbullying amongst school students. Cyberbullying in these online fora, as a misuse of technology to harass, intimidate, tease, threaten, abuse or otherwise terrorise peers, teachers and/or the school in general, is discussed from both the psychological perspective and in terms of its legal ramifications (both criminal and civil) in Australia. Some recommendations for proactive and preventative measures, education and policy adoptions are provided, together with general advice to parents, schools and adolescents on awareness of the risks involved and how young people might better protect themselves in light of that knowledge.

Author Bios

Professor Des Butler is a Professor of Law at the Queensland University of Technology, where he served as Law Faculty Assistant Dean, Research (1997-2002). He is also a Teaching Fellow of the Australian Learning and Teaching Council. He obtained his doctorate in 1996 on a topic examining legal liability for negligent infliction of psychiatric injury and is the author or co-author of 15 books and numerous articles on topics including media law, contract law, civil liability for psychiatric injury, schools and the law and cyberbullying. He is currently a chief investigator on an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (with Campbell, Kift and others) investigating cyberbullying in schools.

Marilyn Capbell,** Queensland University of Technology

Dr Marilyn Campbell is currently an associate professor at the Queensland University of Technology. She is a registered teacher and a registered psychologist. Previous to this Marilyn supervised school counsellors and has worked in infants, primary and secondary schools as a teacher, teacher-librarian and school counsellor. Her main clinical and research interests are the prevention and intervention of anxiety disorders in young people and the effects of bullying, especially cyberbullying in schools.

Sally Kift is a Professor of Law at Queensland University of Technology, where she has served as Law Faculty Assistant Dean, Teaching & Learning (2001-2006) and QUT’s foundational Director, First Year Experience (2006-2007). Sally is a national Teaching Award winner (2003) and national Program Award winner (2007). She was awarded a Senior Fellowship by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) in 2006 to investigate the first year experience and is an ALTC Discipline Scholar in Law. She is currently a chief investigator on an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (with Campbell, Butler and others) investigating cyberbullying in schools.